STATE

Tuesday will mark two weeks until congressional primary election day in New York: June 26. Until then, hotly contested races will feature intense campaigning, and there will even be a few debates. In New York City, there are a handful of House of Representative primaries worth watching, headlined by the Republican contest between Rep. Dan Donovan and former Rep. Michael Grimm. There are two Donovan-Grimm debates set for this week -- see details below -- among others on the Democratic side, where a few incumbents, such as Rep. Joe Crowley, are being challenged from the left in spirited campaigns (NY1 will be hosting several debates this week and next). There's also an open primary on the Democratic side in the mostly-Staten Island district that Donovan represents, the winner of which (Max Rose is seen as the favorite) may have a shot at a pick-up for the Democrats, who are hoping to swing enough seats in November to take control of the House at the start of next year.

Outside of New York City, there are a variety of other seats thought to be at play in the general election. In some, the upcoming primaries will have significant impact in selecting the candidates who will face off in the general.

Election season is also heating up for state-level offices, with a crowded Democratic field for attorney general now jockeying and the Governor Andrew Cuomo-Cynthia Nixon gubernatorial primary continuing to intensify ahead of the September 13 vote. Those two races, along with the state Senate primaries involving the eight members of what was the Independent Democratic Conference (IDC), among others, are worth watching this week and beyond.

On the government side of the equation, there are four days of legislative session scheduled for this week in Albany, with just three more scheduled for next week before the end of the session. Will anything major get done this year? Usually, Cuomo and the Legislature come to an agreement on at least several big-ticket items to form a "big ugly" compromise of legislation at the end of the session, but there's a good deal of ill will this year amid Democratic reunification in the Senate and other election-year jockeying.

We're waiting for a city budget deal, which could be announced as early as Monday. Mayor de Blasio and City Council Speaker Corey Johnson appear close to a deal on what will be a roughly $90 billion expense budget for fiscal year 2019, which begins July 1.

Meanwhile, two public meetings are scheduled this week for the mayor’s charter revision commission, each one focused on certain issue areas -- see details below.

And it’s a busy week at the City Council beyond the possible budget deal, with a variety of committee hearings scheduled for oversight and consideration of legislation. Those and other events to be aware of in our day-by-day rundown below.

***Do you have events or topics for us to include in an upcoming Week Ahead in New York Politics?e-mail Gotham Gazette editor Ben Max: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.***

The run of the week in detail:

MondayThe New York State Legislature will be in session on Monday in Albany.

The New York State Board of Regents will meet on Monday and Tuesday in Albany.

At 9 a.m. Monday, Governor Cuomo will be in Nassau County to makes an announcement in Plainview. Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul will be in attendance.

On Monday at 11 a.m. in the Bronx, Governor Andrew Cuomo, City Council Member Andy King and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. will “hold a press conference...on the front steps of Evander Childs High School Campus...to announce legislation the governor has proposed for Gun-Violence Awareness Month,” according to King's office. Lieutenant Governor Hochul will also be in attendance, per her schedule.

Mayor de Blasio will make his usual weekly appearance on NY1’s Inside City Hall on Monday evening in the 7 and 11 p.m. hours.

On Monday at 11:30 a.m., Comptroller Scott Stringer will deliver remarks at the opening ceremony of 3 World Trade Center. At 6:30 p.m., Stringer will attend the New York Board of Rabbis Humanitarian Awards Dinner.

At noon Monday, WABC radio will host a Republican primary debate for the 11th Congressional District between U.S. Rep. Dan Donovan and former U.S. Rep Michael Grimm, who is challenging Donovan for his old seat. The event will air live on the radio, and will be moderated by WABC’s Rita Cosby.

At noon Monday, U.S. Rep. Adriano Espaillat, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, and Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza will host the “2018 Education Summit” at the George Washington Educational Campus in Washington Heights. The hosts “will provide an overview of the status of NYC School District 6 and the ongoing efforts to ensure educational equity and opportunities for students throughout New York’s 13th congressional district.”

At 5:30 p.m. Monday, Queens Borough President Melinda Katz and Dr. Joseph Salvo, Director of the population division at the Department of City Planning, will host “The Changing Demographics of Queens” at Queens Borough Hall, discussing both the changing demographics of the borough and “the importance of ensuring that the upcoming 2020 Census accurately counts Queens residents.”

On Monday at 6 p.m. at City Hall, City Council Member Andy King and other members of the Council’s Black, Latino & Asian Caucus “will celebrate African-American Music Appreciation Month with an awards ceremony...Honorees will receive a proclamation from the City of New York, the New York City 12th Council District Arts and Music Award and the Power Of Influence Award. To be honored are Pulitzer Prize and Grammy Winner Kendrick Lamar, Bronx native Fat Joe, former NBA player John Starks, the President of Urban Music at RCA Records Mark Pitts and others.”

At 6:30 p.m. Monday, First Lady Chirlane McCray will speak at City & State’s “Pride Power 50,” where the magazine will reveal its list of the 50 most influential LGBTQ New Yorkers. Also speaking is Emma Wolfe, Chief of Staff to Mayor de Blasio.

TuesdayThe New York State Legislature will be in session on Tuesday in Albany.

At the City Council on Tuesday:--The Committee on Housing and Buildings will meet at 10 a.m. to discuss several proposed laws relating to “education and outreach regarding single-occupant toilet room requirements,” “requiring carbon monoxide detectors in commercial spaces,” awning violations and programs for fixing them, and fire safety.--The Committee on Transportation will meet at 10 a.m. to discuss several proposed laws relating to parking.

At 9 a.m. Tuesday, the New York City Board of Correction will hold a public meeting at 125 Worth Street.

At 10 a.m. Tuesday, State Senator Catharine Young, Assemblymember William Magnarelli, and others will hold a press conference at the State Capitol in support of the “School Bus Camera Safety Act,” which “authorizes the installation and use of stop-arm cameras on school buses to detect and record vehicles illegally passing stopped school buses.”

At 1 p.m. Tuesday, the mayor’s Charter Revision Commission will hold an “issue forum” related to election administration, voting participation, and voting access at 125 Worth Street in Manhattan. “The issue forum will feature experts...This meeting is open to the public. Because this is a public meeting and not a public hearing, the public will have the opportunity to observe the Commission’s discussions, but not testify before it.”

At 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, the New York City Board of Elections will hold a commissioners’ meeting.

At 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, the Brooklyn Voters Alliance will host City Council Member Brad Lander and election lawyer Jerry Goldfeder for a discussion on the charter revision commission and how it could bring forth voting reform. The event will take place at the Brooklyn Central Library at Grand Army Plaza.

At 7 p.m. Tuesday, NY1 will host U.S. Rep Carolyn Maloney and challenger Suraj Patel for a Democratic primary debate for the 12th Congressional District.

WednesdayThe New York State Legislature will be in session on Wednesday in Albany.

At the City Council on Wednesday:--The Committee on Health will meet at 10 a.m. to discuss a proposed law relating to “amending sex designation on birth records.”--The Committees on Education and Youth Services will meet jointly at 1 p.m. for an oversight hearing regarding “youth civic engagement opportunities,” and to discuss proposed laws relating to reporting requirements for public school PTAs and “requiring the department of education to provide information about the department of citywide administrative services civil service examinations to students.”--The Committee on Public Safety will meet at 1 p.m. for an oversight hearing regarding the “NYPD’s gang takedown efforts,” as well as to discuss resolutions calling on Congress to pass a federal version of New York’s SAFE Act, calling on the State Legislature and Governor to pass legislation establishing “a center for research into firearm-related violence and a firearm research fund,” and calling on the State Legislature and Governor to pass legislation relating to “the establishment and funding of the gun research safety fund.”

At 10 a.m. Wednesday, the City Planning Commission will hold a public meeting at 120 Broadway.

At 4 p.m. Wednesday, the Civilian Complaint Review Board will hold a board meeting at 100 Church Street.

ThursdayThe New York State Legislature will be in session on Thursday. After Thursday, there will only be three scheduled days remaining in the legislative session.

At the City Council on Thursday:--The Committee on Consumer Affairs will meet at 10 a.m. to discuss proposed laws relating to street vending.--The Committees on Women and Higher Education will meet jointly at 1 p.m. for an oversight hearing regarding childcare services at CUNY.--The Committee on Economic Development and the Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises will meet jointly at 1 p.m. for an oversight hearing “assessing the zoning and financial incentives of the Food Retail Expansion to Support Health programs.”

At 1 p.m. Thursday, the mayor’s Charter Revision Commission will hold an “issue forum” featuring “experts to discuss Campaign Finance. The meeting will be held at NYU’s D’Agostino Hall, 108 West Third Street. This meeting is open to the public. Because this is a public meeting and not a public hearing, the public will have the opportunity to observe the Commission’s discussions, but not testify before it.”

At 5 p.m. Thursday, activists and protesters will converge at the New York Public Library’s main branch for the “Tenant March against #CuomosHousingCrisis.”

At 6 p.m. Thursday, the Association for a Better New York will host Council Member Rafael Espinal and “Nightlife Mayor” Ariel Palitz to discuss the work of the recently created nightlife mayor position. The event will take place at Stout in Chelsea.

At 6 p.m. Thursday, the New York City Bar Association will host U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Stephen Breyer, former U.K. Supreme Court Justice Lord John Dyson, and former Canadian Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin for a discussion on “the importance of judicial independence to the rule of law.”

At 6 p.m. Thursday, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, City Council Member Ben Kallos, and State Senator Liz Krueger will host an “Overdevelopment Forum” at the Lenox Hill Neighborhood House on the Upper East Side, discussing “community initiatives, closing loopholes & our fight against overdevelopment.”

At 7 p.m. Thursday, NY1 will host U.S. Rep Dan Donovan and former U.S. Rep and challenger Michael Grimm for a Republican primary debate for the 11th Congressional District at the College of Staten Island’s Lab Theatre. NY1’s Errol Louis will moderate.

Friday and the weekendMayor de Blasio may make his usual weekly appearance on WNYC’s The Brian Lehrer Show on Friday morning at 10 a.m.

At 7 p.m. Friday, NY1 will host U.S. Rep Joe Crowley and challenger Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for a Democratic primary debate for the 14th Congressional District.

***Have events or topics for us to include in an upcoming Week Ahead in New York Politics? E-mail Gotham Gazette executive editor Ben Max any time: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (please use "For Week Ahead" as email subject).

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